I cannot say enough great things about Koval hospitality , distillery and spirits. It was our first experience visiting and tasting. Right from the start I had trouble paying for the distillery tour online. Even though I tried a couple different methods. When I called I was assured not to worry my party would be accommodated. My relatively large party was graciously accommodated and we enjoyed tasting a number of spirits. Later, various family members ( same last names) opened tabs in the tasting room and, unfortunately, confused the wonderful bartenders. Once again, Koval more than made everything right. We had a great experience in the beautiful new location and will be happy to make a return trip. read more

I'm a whiskey snob so I always snubbed this brand due to it not being from Kentucky. But we were gifted a tasting, I went, I tasted, I toured and am now a fan. The whiskey is unique and tasty. I recommend the Groupon deal for tour and tasting, it was well worth our time. I recommend KOVAL now, we bought some to take home. read more

Really great place. They are kosher & organic distillery. All of their whisky are 100% one grain so all rye or all wheat so you can taste the differences in the grain. And they even make whisky out of spelt and millet. It's unique. The distillery tour & tasting was well worth the 10$ Meg was friendly funny and super knowledgeable. Plus she is generous with her tasting portions. We tasted 4 white whiskeys 4 aged whiskeys and 3 liqueurs. No liquor license yet so the tasting was held at 'In Fine Spirits' which actually worked out really nice because we were a little tipsy but we able to go right next door for some cheese and charcuterie to soak up the whisky. Totally worth the price. read more

KOVAL Distillery - Tour of a still - Distilleries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Today I stopped by Koval to pick up the Valentine's Day special. I misread the email and showed up 3 hours early. A nice young man said he would be happy to go inside and look for my order and brought it out, even though it was obviously not his job! (He was clearing sidewalks and stopped to ask how he could help me when i pulled up). I love businesses who hire kind people- and he was just that! Not to mention the drinks look fabulous and we are so excited to try them on the zoom call tomorrow. One thing i would offer to improve upon would been offering a spot to enter allergies, as I'm allergic to all of the delicious looking pastries. Thanks again koval! read more

As I get older I came to the swift conclusion that I, Jan, couldn't drink fruity drinks any longer, bummer; poor JAN,RIGHT? Wrong!! There's a cool libation called WHISKEY, OMG who knew!! If you want a introduction into Whiskey, PLEASE try Koval! It's a local distillery and it's beyond AMAZING! We tried about 8 different whiskeys and gins too, almost forgot about them...the gin is smooth, herby, and refreshing compared to "bumpy face" gin LOL! The staff is kind & knowledgeable, this is one of the best experiences I've had in a long time...What a way to start the fall season in Chi city. Oh and bring extra cash because you will most definitely want to take home some goodies. read more

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A fun indoor activity for cold Chicago days, especially if you like brewery tours but have realized that they are all very similar. I did the distillery tour, which I would recommend purchasing ahead because they did appear to book up. While you won't actually see the distilling process, they will talk you through it and offer you some fun facts - plenty of information since typically the sampling is the point of doing a tour anyway. They let you sample a good number of alcohols, though in carefully measured doses. Once the tour is over, they'll allow you to taste anything else that you'd like in the gift shop (highly recommend the various liqeurs); you also get a discount on anything you purchase that day. read more

You guys donated so much hand sanitizer to Innovative Express Care for the COVID-19 pandemic! We are using it everywhere and just want to say that you're so awesome. Thank you! I can't wait to visit as a customer. read more

We discovered KOVAL whisky a couple years ago on our first excursion to Chicago, and Jess brings some back every time she has to travel here for business. Recently we found ourselves in town and went to check them out in person. The whisky's get 5 stars hands down, and coming here we were able to sample (and purchase) some others that aren't sold in the stores. They also have a couple of delicious and original gins, and the walnut liqueur is amazing. The shop is in a great neighborhood and they offer tours if you're so inclined. The only downside was the gal who was working that day had a very abrupt change of attitude regarding the customers. There were a few people who came in excited to try, and Jess and I were enjoying talking to them and her about the booze. Suddenly she just decided that she was done with customers and made it pretty clear by her demeanor that she didn't want us there anymore, hence the 3 stars. We spent some good money here, as did the other patrons, it would have been nice not to have felt unwelcome. I still love KOVAL though, that's not going to stop me. I recommend the rye, the 4 grain, and the oat for something very different. Cheers! read more

Came here for a Birthday tour, there was 4 of us. We got tickets in advance and arrived a few minutes early. The tour lasted about an hour and was very informative on the history and process of making whiskey. The tour guide was easy going and offered many opportunities for questions. We got to try just about everything and the staff were very helpful when checking out. read more

I went on the distillery "tour" a few days ago in the evening and loved it. I put "tour" in quotations because they're actually in the process of moving out of their storefront and they do all their distilling a different location in the city. So there is no tour of the distilling facility, but you do get a chance to try most of their offering. They have numerous whiskeys for you to try, in addition to a few liqueurs, a brandy, a gin, and maybe something else I'm forgetting. You get to learn the process of making whiskey and the tour guide is knowledgeable and entertaining. I already knew I loved their bourbon but it was fun discovering that I enjoyed their Oat Whiskey. I'm not normally not fond of dark alcohols but I honestly loved everything I tried. I also was impressed with their liqueurs. Particularly: the coffee one is amazing! Ask for a sample of it! So delicious. I ended up buying it! Overall, I highly recommend this tour and I definitely plan on taking more of my friends to this! read more

I just left the distillery tour and I could not have had a more enjoyable experience. All of the product was high quality and I even liked the spirits that I typically don't like from other companies. And Emily the tour guide was so fun and made it a great experience. read more

I went back this morning but before you start thinking that I have a drinking problem (and I actually do, I always spill when I drink, hehehe) let me tell you that I was there for hard work and for your very own pleasure, ladies and gentlemen. I bottled 85 cases of 47th Ward whiskey. Well - not all by myself but with 9 other brave souls like mine who didn't mind getting up early on a Sunday morning to get things done. Taking bottles out of a box, filling them, corking them, labeling them, putting the little plastic ring around them (I am sure that a more PC word for it, but hey!) and putting them back in a box, shiny, full and happy. Best Sunday morning ever! PS - Get a bottle. It's quite delicious. read more

Aside from the awesome fact that this is an ALL WOMAN OWNED company, they have some of the best liquor and liqueurs I've had. The ladies at the distillery are v knowledgeable and accommodating and were so thankful we chose to try this place. The tour & tasting was a great Sunday Funday treat. Check them out- also they're moving to a bigger & better venue this year and it sounds dope! read more

I would not recommend touring Koval at all. I have been on many distillery tours. We paid $30 per person to tour the Distillery. If i could rate my experience on the product itself, it would be a 5 star review. All I felt was gauged by the experience. The facility is very clean and is well set for a large group tour. When we arrived we were greeted at the check out stand by a lovely girl. I cannot remember her name. She was it,, There were multiple people already waiting for the tour to commence. I had inquired about the Bourbon and was informed there was only one bottle left. I quickly secured the bottle and paid $52.99. Lovely girl started the tour and we all shuffled into the room closer to the equipment where she could explain how it all works. This was fine and good but her delivery came across as a little bored and rote... No humor at all..there were multiple samples of all the product but not the bourbon.All samples were two sips at the most. I have since discovered that I can buy the very same bottle of bourbon at Binnys for $49.99 and at Mariano's for $44.99. Lesson learned. Do your research before hand.. Do not buy bourbon at the distillery unless they do something personal like engraving or numbered or signed by the master distiller. No tasting glass or souvenir provided for the $60 we gave this business. read more

Huge fan! I came for a tour on a Saturday night with my fiancée. I didn't catch my guide's name but he had a great beard. They give you a ton of samples and you certainly drink and learn your $10 worth. Afterwards don't forget the gift shop and take advantage of the opportunity to taste anything you didn't taste on your tour or you'd like to retry. The staff was really knowledgeable and kind. I'd love to return with a group for a party! read more

Zooey Deschanel was our tour guide! Just kidding, looked a lot like her :) I'll keep this short bc it's pretty simple- go on this tour!!! It's informative, offers a LOT of samples, and only costs $10. GO!! P.S. Great ideas for gifts in the gift shop :) read more

This is a review for the tour of the distillery. What the heck happened? We did the tour back in February of 2013 and it was fantastic. 5 stars all the way. Great tour guide, lots of samples, learned a lot ... it was awesome. I just did it again last week and it was terrible. The tour guide was fine, though boring and didn't seem too interested in her job. The samples? Awful. We tried 5 or 6 different products, and had about an 1/8 of a shot of each. Horrible. I think the problem is they do a vast majority of the distilling at their new location, and this is their older, smaller place. I would highly recommend against the tour now. What a complete let down. 118/365 read more

Small batch liquors and liqueurs are their specialty, and within the city limits, that's a unique business. Chicago has never had a boutique distillery before Koval, Inc. This husband and wife business runs out of this small factory space in Edgewater's strip next to the Metra tracks. While there is no retail shop here, you can learn who sells their products from their Web site (see the first review). Their bottled products are extensive and fall into three main categories: whiskies (or whiskeys), liqueurs (including brandies), and vodkas. I dropped by to ask if they might ever make an apricot or peach liqueur (they already make a pear brandy and an apple brandy). No promises, but the co-owner was interested and knew the eastern-European sample I showed him. I found Koval bottles are sold nearby at Andersonville Wine & Spirits and In Fine Spirits, both on Clark St. in Andersonville. But what I was looking for, as a gift, was the Koval ginger liqueur, and only found it when I went south to Binny's on Clark near Halsted, which had an extensive stock of many Koval products on the shelf. The Koval factory gives guided tours for $10 per person. They also hold tastings and gives distilling workshops (for you fledgling moonshiners). Check with them for times and reservations. read more

Avoid the tour! Too much info, not enough samples. Information is basic whiskey knowledge that could be explained in 10 min YouTube video. I was suggested the tour by Dr. Sonet who said I would get at least $10 of samples. Between all the samples it did not add up to full shot. It was about an hour of standing. The bourbon was not sampled. It was about 4 whiskey and 2 liquor drops in a glass. Do yourself a favor, and do not go. Was gonna buy a bottle but after the awful tour, decided not to. read more

KOVAL Distillery - This is the samples people complain about. Not enough to taste. - Distilleries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped here in hopes of taking a tour. Unfortunately there were no tours offered on the day of the week but that would not stop me from tasting some of delicious products they have. Katie, the woman working that day was very friendly and very knowledgeable about their products. We were able to sample as many items in the store as we wanted and my favorite was the Orange Blossom, which I did leave with a bottle of. The products are a bit expensive but very tasty. Definitely a good stop! read more

I visited Koval for a tasting tour. I had already tasted Koval whiskey when a friend brought a bottle to a party, and then again at a brewery event in Lincoln Square. I hadn't made the connection when I was invited to the tour (I'm terrible at remembering names to things), but immediately recognized the bottling when I entered small shop at the front of the distillery. I was pleasantly surprised. TOUR: PROS: It's cheap - $10. You get to try at least 6 different types of whiskey, including white and aged, as well as the many liqueurs. It's a real lax tour. I've been on whiskey tours in Kentucky where they're more streamlined because they have many whiskey tours on the same day due to lots of visitors. Here, because it's a small business, you get a more personal tour that can naturally lead into a discussion between the guide and the tourists. The guide was 1 of the 6 staff members. She was fun and has worked for one of the large American breweries, so was able to provide us with well rounded information. Photography is enthusiastically welcome. If you're a Chicagoan, it's a great opportunity to check out the local distilleries, and Metropolitan brewery is right next door. Parking is easy to find. NOTE: The distillery is open to volunteers, so if you're interested, you can help bottle, label, or even prepare the fruits for the liqueurs. CONS: It's a small space, and the tour is held outside of working hours so there's not much action to see. The process is explained, though. BUT: Having already been on other tours, though, I felt like I didn't miss out on much in that regard, and in exchange I was given a lot of information that I hadn't gotten on other tours, such as how a small business is run and what it is to have a whiskey business in Chicago as part of the growing local craft beer and liquor scene. I think it's definitely worth a visit - definitely planning to spread the word among my friends! read more

Didn't get a chance to go on the tour (for shame!) because I showed up late. Totally cool, though, because the person behind the counter just whipped out some bottles and some little sample cups and started pouring (after checking IDs, of course). KOVAL makes some really good spirits - I especially like the oat whiskey and the Mikkeller Single Barrel. I'll update my review after I go back and do the tour. read more

I'd like to imagine that 150 years ago, somewhere in the backwoods along the Cumberland River, one of my ancestors was brewing small batches of 'white lightning' similar to Koval's organic, un-aged whiskeys. Unlike your classic bourbons & scotches, Koval doesn't put the whiskey in barrels to age, so it's clear as water. You might expect a harsh 'fire-water', but whether it's because they use only the best grains for the mash or if it's because unlike mass-producers, they only bottle the 'heart' of the batch, Koval's whiskeys are nothing like most home brewed moonshine. What you get is a whiskey that carries a lot more of the flavor of whatever grain it was made from. The whiskeys are all surprisingly smooth, not harsh with flavors ranging from crisp & spicy, to almost fruity, to nutty & sweet. My favorite was the Spelt, which has a nutty, caramel flavor. Farmers quit growing Spelt in favor of modern wheat, which has less flavor & nutrition, but produces greater yields. I'm glad the folks at Koval thought to use a throwback grain to match their throwback distilling process! Koval also makes some interesting liqueurs that local mixologists are using to make some mighty good cocktails. You can't buy liquor directly from Koval. The distillery is tucked in a semi-industrial stretch of Ravenswood, but they are quickly becoming available at bars & liquor stores in town. You can get a list off of their website: http://www.koval-distillery.com/ read more

I was never a gin fan before visiting Koval for a tour. First off, the tours here are extremely informative, witty, and generous in terms of the amount of samples you get. It's unlike any other alcohol sampling experience I've had because Koval produces gin, whisky, liquor, and they have a few other tricks up their sleeve. Have I mentioned the packaging and branding of their products is sublime?... You can get a mini whiskey package as a holiday or bday gift for a friend, and they will love you forever. So grateful for this neighborhood gem! read more

I went here for a distillery tour and tasting recently and highly recommend the experience. We started by hearing about the story of the owners - Robert and Sonnet - and why they started the distillery. Our guide brought the group on a tour of the facility, though it is quite small (which is why they are in the process of moving to a bigger space). Our guide took us through the whiskey making process and was able to answer all of the questions thrown at her. She had some great facts about whiskey and the distillery itself, and it was great to hear how sales and production keep growing. Fun fact learned on the tour: the pictures on the labels of the liqueurs were done by the owner's mother. As for the tastings, we tried the white whiskey, the dark whiskey, and a bunch of the liqueurs - rose hip, walnut, coffee, orange blossom, and more. We learned that some of their liqueurs are seasonal (like the Asian pear that they won't be making this year due to a failed crop), and some are definitely off the beaten path (like the liqueur made from failed beer from their next door neighbors, Revolution Brewing). I thought it was fun that with each liqueur, suggestions for specialty cocktails were offered, some I wouldn't think of on my own. All were delicious and we ended up taking home the rose hip for some mighty tasty Manhattans. It was a fun way to spend an hour on a Saturday morning for $10. Oh, and apparently, all of the liquor is organic and kosher. Added bonus. read more

The KOVAL tour in a nutshell: $10 per person, ~20 spots per session, and it lasts ~45 minutes. Mallory was our tour guide. She did a good job with her speech and answering questions, however her presentation manner was somewhat disinterested and unenthusiastic. Late-comers were allowed to join the group (Mallory clearly found it annoying to answer the door to get these people), but none of the tour was made up for their sake. During the tour, we tasted 4 whiskeys and 2 liqueurs, each of which we received a very small sample (on the order of a few milliliters). Products not shown during the tour were not available to sample afterward. There was no pressure to purchase KOVAL's products. The samples were integrated into the tour fluidly; I especially liked the head/heart/tail samples. As a chemist, I can say that the scientific details were presented well enough for a lay person. Since I have some deeper knowledge, I can say that some parts of the tour weren't quite true if taken at face value. Compared to the tour of FEW in Evanston, KOVAL's tour was much more polished and catered to a general audience. FEW's tour was given by the distillers themselves (it was unclear if our tour guide was involved in the production of KOVAL's products) and tended to be more technical and detailed. TL;DR? If you're new to the concepts of distilling and want an overview, go on KOVAL's tour. If you're more experienced and want more details, go on FEW's tour. read more

I took some out of town friends for the tour one Saturday afternoon. While the tour was very informative, I have a few suggestions for improvement. First, add seating. Standing for over 45 minutes before the first sample can be wearing on ones feet, it would have been much easier if there was seating. Second, maybe offer a little chaser, perhaps an Orange juice box. The liquor was good, but some of us have a harder time taking straight whiskey. My friends made some interesting faces when they drank it. Lastly, maybe be slightly less informative. It was great to learn so much information, but our tour lasted 2.5 hours of straight information. By the end, our feet hurt from standing so long, and we just couldn't take any more info. I loved the distillery and the tour overall, but perhaps a few tweaks could make this tour amazing! read more

It's cool that there's a distillery in Chicago again, they had to get some laws changed that had been in place since prohibition. They stick to local Midwestern ingredients as much as possible, althogyh some things like coffee just don't grow in the Midwest. Their stuff isn't cheap, but it's not ridiculous for nice smallbatch drinks. Their tours, when you can get one, are really good. It's not fluff information, and we learned about the machines and the process and what double-distilled, etc., means. We smelled heads vs. hearts vs. tails. They make drinks from a few different types of grains, including spelt. Their liqueurs are very tasty, especially the coffee. The building where they do sales and tours is very small, with some storage, but they do most of the work in a building down the street. Oh, and everything they make is kosher, so that's kind of neat. It's nice to support a real local business, which this is. They have a little parking area, and there's plenty of free street parking. read more

KOVAL Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend has raved about KOVAL's oat whiskey so, when in Chicago, I went on a Distillery tour. $10 excellently spent. I learned something (previous status: knew nothing) about the distillation process, and appreciate KOVAL's stance on transparency of information. On that note: they host 3 day workshops providing true keeners with details on how to open your own Distillery! For those $10 we had 45 minutes with an engaging tour guide (shout out to Tristan), got to sample 10 different offerings, and were given 10% off any boozy purchases. Sure! I have 0 palate and am not fussy when drinking the brown, so what do I know. I especially liked their aged gin and their walnut liqueur (yes, absolutely, tastes like liquid baklava). Yelp note: great option for boyfriend gifts. You will collect major points. read more

I think checking out local distilleries has become my newly found passtime! I am absolutely in love with CH Distillery and thought why not check out another local brand?! Koval definitely delivered!! We came on a Thursday night to attend the Classic Chicago Cocktails class. The class featured making 5 different cocktails with bits of history and entertainment. For the price point I would have preffered taking out the non-Koval liquor featured rum cocktail and just focused on making maybe 3 drinks showcasing their liquors. I say 3 because it would have been nice if we all made small individual pours and had a few more subsantial things to bite on. I normally wouldn't expect food at a cocktail class but after a few too many sips at 7pm you start to get a bit hangry! It was nice to try a sip of liquors that were not part of the class afterwards as well. Parking on the street is decent and the space is nice and large for a group outing. I would definitely consider another cocktail class if it was larger pours with fewer drinks. Paying $30 for little tastings, a piece or two of cheese and bread is a bit much for me. I wouldn't mind paying a little more if there was more snacks and the drinks were larger! :) read more

First time visit to Koval and it did not disappoint. The cocktails we ordered were outstanding as was our server Brian. He provided great service and mixed awesome drinks. We will definitely be back again and we'll be sure to tell all of our friends and family about Koval. read more

So we had an Amazon local voucher to burn and decided on a whim to go last Sunday (02/09.) We sketched together a last minute plan and emailed the distillery on Saturday (more than 24 hours out) that we had a voucher which we'd like to redeem on Sunday. When we neglected to receive a reply I became worried that whomever we'd emailed worked Mon-Fri so we called and left a message. I figured we might as well go there and try to take the 4pm tour. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It turns out that the 4pm tour was the right choice. Our tour guide informed us that the 2pm tour had about 50 people on it when 20 people would be a more reasonable number. She told us that she hadn't had time to check her email but she graciously allowed us to redeem our voucher. It's nice when things work out :-) The tour itself was interesting- it contained a nice mixture of information about the owners and also about the distillery process- although if you've been on brewery tours/distillery tours before there's not too much additional light being shed on the process. We were given a generous splash of nine different samples which I would estimate to add up to about 2 or 2.5 shots. If you're not too much into whiskey we also sampled three liqueurs with coffee being my favorite. The only real downside was the extended time spent standing on the concrete floors which made my preternaturally old knees hurt. read more

If you're in Chicago or visiting I would definitely recommend doing a tasting tour. First time I really learned about different whiskies. I like they are all organic and kosher as well. Makes me feel better about drinking haha. Anyway, the bottles are beautiful and their bourbon was so good. Go here, take a uber, get a bottle. read more

The Tour is about education, information and understanding the legacy of Koval. I am a fan of Koval due to its commitment to community, cooperative betterment for all and quality (organic, kosher, gluten-free) ingredients. The Tour makes you appreciate Whiskey, Bourbon and Liquor. An excellent strategic tasting of 8 products, totaling 1 oz. So, you don't come here to get drunk! *wink* But, a wonderful break-the-ice conversation on a first date that leaves good lasting memory. Seats requested due to 1 hr lecture type tour. The mock-up distillery doesn't have the wow effect of a working/operating distillery. read more

We took a tour and tasting of KOVAL Distillery at 5121 N. Ravenswood in Chicago. Koval's founders created KOVAL in 2008. Their liquors include whisky, bourbon, rye, gin, liquors in flavors like chrysanthemum and honey, caraway, ginger, coffee, walnut, peach, and so on. Best time in Chicago on a day at 7 degrees F. Regina was knowledgeable and accommodating our group of 12. read more

We did the tour and it was pretty freaking great. Delicious booze, witty banter, and no question left unanswered. The facility is rather small overall but it has a nice small business family type of vibe. Totally worth the $10. read more

What a gem! The past week I have been singing the praises of Koval Distillery. I have also been trying to figure out how many cocktails I can make with their whiskey and ginger liqueur! Last Saturday I grabbed a friend and we took the Metra down (to Union) and then out (to Ravenswood) to Koval. The walk is only .5 miles from the Metra stop and it's right along the cute homes on Ravenswood Avenue. We almost walked right past the distillery and even rang a bell to get in. We were quickly ushered inside a small waiting area and welcomed warmly by our tour guide (and the amazing aromas of whiskey and oak). The tour is a cheap $10 and includes an extremely informative tour and a small sampling. The tastings are small because they are licensed as a liquor store but I wasn't up to doing shots in the afternoon anyway; it was enough to know the quality of their product is high. The experience was a little over an hour and half and will leave you with a great education. Tips: Be sure to wear comfy shoes. There is no seating and a concrete floor. Bring your camera - they are very open to photo opportunities. Bring your wallet - you must bring home a bottle! read more

We had a great time at an evening tasting. I'm not a whiskey person, but my wife swears by it all. All the whiskeys are single grain, and she particularly liked the spelt. They also make a line of liquors, and we liked the ginger. It's great added to iced tea. If they haven't changed since we visited, they partner with food trucks for the tastings, so you're not drinking on an empty stomach. Also they do volunteer days, where you can help them bottle and label, and get a discount on their products. read more

Fantastic tour! I live in the neighborhood and have always been curious about the tiny little neighborhood distillery, I'm so glad I checked it out! The staff are VERY knowledgeable about the distilling process from start to finish. I have been on several winery tours, but never a distillery. They explained everything and didn't make us feel ignorant when asking questions. I've even come away with some trivia I have impressed my friends with! The highlight is naturally the tasting. You get to try about 8 varieties of whiskey, plus their vodka (surprisingly refreshing), gin (AH-MAZING! I bought a bottle!) and a couple of their liqueurs. The tour is a great value, plus you get 20% off your purchase that night. I highly recommend checking it out! read more

Wonderful tour! Fun to take the Red line to Argyle and walking through the neighborhoods. We enjoyed Learning more about the different types of whiskeys! read more